De witt c



(No Model.)

. DE WITT G. HOOVER.

PACKAGE FOR PHOTOGRAPHIG PLATES.

Patented May '7, 1889.

w hww/r/jwenivn 57 flforheyS Q UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DE WITT O. HOOVER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO REUBIN J. GETZ,

OF SAME PLACE.

PACKAGE FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent. No. 402,827, dated May '7, 1889.

Application filed September 25, 1888.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DE VVITT O. HOOVER, of the city of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Packages for Photographic Plates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved package for photographic dry-plates.

Heretofore it has been the practice to separate the several plates by means of open rectangular frames of paper or pasteboard to prevent injury to the sensitive coating or film of the plates by abrasion; but this is objectionable,because paperusually contains traces of the chemical substances wit-h which it is treated in the process of manufacture, and these substances have a corrosive influence on the sensitive surface, which in time im pairs the same to such an extent as to necessitate recoatin g of the plates. It has also been proposed to separate the plates by interposing between the same a series of cords or strings arranged wholly within the packing-box and extending across the plates from end to end thereof; but this method is also objectionable, for the reason that the cords are not properly held in place and are liable to move toward the center of the plates or slip over the edges thereof, in either of which cases the plates are not entirely isolated, but are allowed to come in contact at the points where the cords are disarranged.

The object of my invention is to pack the plates in such a manner that all liability of their coming in contact and marring each other will be obviated.

My invention consists to that end in a continuous length of twine wound around the box and passed .partly inside and partly outside of the same, the portion of twine within the box forming a series of layers which are arranged between the plates.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the plates packed in the box with the cover of the latter removed. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a portion of the packing-box with the corner thereof broken away. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of two plates removed from the box, showing the Serial No. 286,302. (No model.)

arrangement of the separating-twine. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the packing-box. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing a modified construction of the packing-box.

Like letters of reference refer to like-parts in the several figures.

A represents the upright walls of the rectangular packing-box, which latter is preferably constructed of pasteboard. Each wall A is provided near opposite ends with an upright opening or slit, (1, which extends from the upper edge of the wall to nearly the lower edge thereof, as shown in the drawings. The two slits at each corner of the box are arranged diagonally opposite each other.

B are the sensitized plates arranged within the box, and c is a continuous piece or length of twine or other similar soft and flexible material, which is interposed between the several plates, so as to separate the same. The twine c is Wound around the box from the bottom toward the top thereof, and passes through the several slits a, being arranged within the box at the corners thereof and on the-outside of the box between the corners, as represented in Figs. 1 and 2. The portions of the twine inside of the box run diagonally across the corners of the box, and the interior portions of twine in line with each other or in the same horizontal plane form layers, each of which is arranged between two adjacent dry-plates. The plates are preferably packed in pairs back to back, or, in other words, with their unsensitized surfaces against each other, as represented in Figs. 2 and 3. By this manner of packing a layer of twine is required only between every two pairs of plates, as the unsensitized faces may be in contact; but, if preferred, a layer of twine may be interposed between every two plates.

In packing the plates into the box the end of the twine is placed in one of the slits a, at o the lower end thereof, and preferably held therein by tying a knot on the end of the twine. The twine is then passed fromthis slit into the box, diagonally across the adjacent corner thereof, and through the opposite slit; thence along the outside of the box and through the set of slits at the next corner of the box; thence again around the outside of the box to and through the set of slits at the following corner, and so on until the twine has been wound entirely around the four sides of the box and across the corners thereof. A pair of plates arranged back to back is now placed into the box upon the layer of twine, with the lower plate face downward in contact with the twine. The twine is new again passed through the series of slits and around the box in the manner above described, to form the next separating-layer, and another pair of plates is laid upon the same, and this operation is repeated until the box is filled.

The usual flaps or sheet-s of wrapping-paper, (Z, are placed in the box before filling the same, which flaps overlap and protect the uppermost plate, as represented in Fig. 1.

After the plates have been packed .in the box the usual covers are applied to the box.

In the modified construction represented in Fig. 5 the box is provided at its corners with a series of horizontal twine-slits, 6, instead of with vertical slits. The operation of winding the twine and packing the plates is in this case similar to that described with reference to the first-mentioned construction.

In my improved package a single continuous length of twine is wound around the packing-box and alternately passed inside and outside of the box, whereby the several layers or convolutions of twine are held against displacement and the complete isolation of the plates is insured. The portions of the twine on the outside of the box hold the sides of the box closely against the plates, and thereby render the box firm and prevent displacement of the plates.

As the separating-twine is arranged only at the extreme corners of the plates which are unexposed in the camera, the remaining portions of the plates are entirely free from contact with the twine, so that mutilation of the sensitive surfaces is wholly prevented.

WVith this package the number of plates contained in the box can be readily determined by counting the number of convolutions or series of exposed portions of the twine on the outside of the box, each convolution representing two plates, and it therefore assists in avoiding the packing of an improper number of plates in the boxes.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with a box having slits or openings, of a piece of twine or other flexible material passing through said slits or openin gs alternately inside and outside of the box, forming a series of layers within the box, one above the other, on opposite sides of which the photographic plates are arranged, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a packing-box having slits or openings at or near its corners, of a piece of twine or other flexible material passing through said slits or openings alternately around the outside of the packing-box between the corner portions thereof and inside of the box at or near its corners, forming a series of layers within the box, one above the other, on opposite sides of which the photographic plates are arranged, substantially as set forth.

lVitness my hand this 11th day of September, 1888.

DE WITT (J. HOOVER.

\Vitnesses:

G. F. GEYER, JNO. J. BONNER. 

